The Dalstrong Shogun Series X Damascus 8″ Chef Knife is the flag bearer of the Dalstrong Shogun Series of chef’s knives. The award-winning craftsmanship, stunning design, and best materials come together to ‘put a lion in your hand.’ The Shogun Series is the epitome of Japanese knife perfection.
This knife is a master of mincing, chopping, slicing, and dicing with its ultra-sharp blade. Professional chefs to home chefs have switched to the Dalstrong Shogun Series for their superior quality, customer support, and loyal community.
The Shogun Series X gyuto is hand-finished in the Honbazuke 3 step method, creating a beautiful mirror polished edge, and The Tsuchime finish minimizes stuck-on food. Moreover, the ergonomic handle design is made for superior control.
The Dalstrong Shogun Series Chef Knives aims to enhance your culinary creations, whether you are an amateur or a pro. For its superior quality, more than 75,000 chefs have switched to Dalstrong.
Table of Contents
About the Company
When you spend a lot on a chef’s knife or any purchase for that matter, you should know a little about the company that has made the product.
In the world of precision cutlery, Dalstrong is a relative newcomer. David Dallaire founded Dalstrong in 2014 and is the master designer of every collection, drawing inspiration from different cultures, art, nature, and even infrastructure. The company aims to provide reliable knives at affordable prices.
Dalstrong is an innovative company that continues to release new products once they recognize a need for them. The company looks for innovative ways to make long-lasting kitchenware.
Dalstrong Shogun Series X 8-inches Chef Knife Review
The Dalstrong Shogun Series chef’s knife is a versatile knife for all your meal prepping, whether you’re a professional chef or just learning to cook. No matter how you use it, it can handle slicing, dicing, mincing, and other jobs with precision and control.
The Dalstrong X Series Chef Knife has an 8-inch precision-forged blade. It features Dalstrong’s exquisite Shogun Series Tsunami Rose blade pattern for striking and standout beauty. For improved knuckle clearance and the ability to use the knife to transfer chopped foods to the bowl or pan, the blade has a wide height. In addition, this liquid nitrogen-cooled blade is ideal for enhanced hardness and flexibility.
The Shogun Series blade is forged from a single piece of premium Japanese high-carbon AUS-10V steel with 67 alternating layers of SUS410 Damascus cladding for durability and stain resistance. In addition, cryogenic tempering with liquid nitrogen increases the steel’s crystalline structure, enhancing strength, flexibility, and hardness.
The hammered Tsuchime finish reduces drag and creates tiny air pockets to prevent stuck-on food. In addition,the blade has a hand-polished spine to create a smooth finish. Finally, the edge is precisely tapered to get a smooth cut. On the blade surface of every Dalstrong Shogun Series Chef Knife is the Dalstrong lion’s head logo.
Steel Quality
The Dalstrong Shogun X Series knife’s blade is made from ultra-premium Japanese AUS-10V super steel.
AUS-10 steel is very durable and resistant to rust. In addition, the steel provides better performance in case of edge retention and holding a sharper edge. In addition, AUS-10 steel scores around 58-60 HRC on the Rockwell scale.
This is a very refined stainless steel with a high percentage of carbon content which provides greater hardness and edge retention. The material contains between 0.95-1.1 percent carbon; 13-14.5 percent chromium; 0.5 percent manganese; 0.1-.31 percent molybdenum; .49 percent nickel; .04 percent phosphorous; 1 percent silicon; .3 percent sulfur; and .1-.27 percent vanadium. The addition of molybdenum makes the steel harder to sharpen, but the presence of vanadium counters the problem. In addition, temperature treatment provides a high Rockwell score.
Moreover, 66-67 layers of steel cladding provide incredible strength and durability. Rust- and corrosion-resistant cladding define the knife’s cleanness and longevity.
Besides the quality steel, Dalstrong knives are forged rather than stamped, starting with a single bar of heat-treated steel that is then molded into shape before it is tempered, ground, polished and sharpened.
Stamped blades are cut from a sheet of thin steel. As a result, they are easier to mass-produce and cheaper. However, they aren’t as durable or balanced and don’t feature a bolster. The bolster is where the blade meets the handle; it adds balance and heft.
Edge
The edge retention of a steel knife depends on how hard the steel is. The higher the scale, the harder the steel. Harder steel will hold the edge better than softer steel. The three-step Honbazuke sharpening method provides an incredible 8-12° angle edge per side. During this method, the blade is coarsely ground using a vertically rotating sharpening stone. Then, this is followed by a fine honing using a horizontally rotating sharpening stone. Finally, the edge is polished using a leather stropping block to give the blade its scalpel-like sharpness.
The 3-step Honbazuke method with 8-12° angle edge per side makes this Shogun X Guyto SUPER SHARP!
Handle (Confort and Control)
The Dalstrong Shogun Series Chef Knife handle is military-grade G-10 Garolite, which is highly impervious to heat and moisture for life-long durability. The ergonomic handle provides superior hand control and comfort while obtaining stability with an end-cap for agile performance. A copper mosaic pin covers the center rivet. The shape is engineered for superior control, agility and comfort, while the blade’s spine is smooth for a natural ‘pinch grip.’
With the addition of epoxy resin, the glass fiber can hold different colors.
G-10 needs very little maintenance. This is because the epoxy resin doesn’t rust or oxidize and doesn’t become brittle.
It is highly impervious to heat, cold, and moisture; superior hand control and a nonslip grip give the handle superb comfort and durability.
Design and Beauty
This model is a gyuto knife, which is the workhorse of Japanese kitchen knives. The hammered Tsuchime finish on the blade’s surface not only reduces drag on food but also shows the beauty of the knife’s craftsmanship. Moreover, Dalstrong’s exquisite shogun series Tsunami Rose blade pattern augments its beauty. Furthermore, the intricate copper mosaic on the handle surface increases the aesthetic.
From the blade’s tip to the end of the handle, the Dalstrong Shogun Series Chef Knife is the pinnacle of beauty and design.
Washing a precision instrument like this in a dishwasher will reduce its lifespan. Dishwashers tend to be too abrasive and can damage the handle. Dishwasher detergents can also cause corrosion on the knife’s metallic parts.
Clean your knife immediately after each use. Use mild dish soap and rinse well after washing, followed by drying it with a cotton towel before storing it.
Pros
The hammered Tsuchime finish of the blade creates air pockets that prevent food from sticking.
This 62+ Rockwell and AUS-10V super steel is ultimate rust-resistant and has superior edge retention.
Dalstrong provides the best military-grade G-10 handle that is more heat, moisture, and water-resistant.
Dalstrong promises 100 percent satisfaction or offers a cash-back guarantee. In addition, there’s a lifetime warranty for any manufacturing defects.
Cons
If you are looking for a real made-in-Japan knife, this is not for you. Though these knives are made in China, they are built according to Japanese tradition and style. However, they are comparable to Japanese knives but are less expensive.
The 62+ Rockwell steel is harder steel and more brittle. So, use it with care.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Where Is It Made?
The Dalstrong Company has its base in Toronto, Canada, and they gave the contract of providing steel and making knives to a China firm. The manufacturing facility is in Yang Jing, which is well-known as a city of leading knife craftsmanship for over 15 centuries.
However, the steel used in manufacturing these knives comes from Japan. In addition, the artisans are trained in Japanese knifemaking techniques.
Which Gritstone Is Good for Sharpening This Knife? Is It OK to Use an Electric Sharpener?
This is the finest Damascus steel, and you should not need to sharpen it often. However, you should use a #6000 and a #1000 grit Japanese whetstone when you do. If you don’t want to grind the knife to a different angle, you should not use an electric sharpener.
Are These Dalstrong Shogun Series Chef Knife Made to Be Ambidextrous?
The Dalstrong Shogun X Series Chef Knife is for right-handed users. Left-handed users are advised to use the Shogun S Series as a close alternative. The S Series has an octagonal handle that is better suited to serve left-handed users.
What is the Difference Between VG-10 and AUS-10V?
AUS-10V steel contains a mixture of nickel and other elements, which VG-10 does not have. NIckel enhances the toughness of the steel. Moreover, a vacuum heat treatment is also added to the AUS-10V for more durability than the VG-10.
Final Words
This Dalstrong Shogun Series X Chef Knife has an elegant design, making it a versatile utensil for home and commercial kitchens. The knife has a durable stainless steel blade, and a military-grade G-10 handle to provide maximum comfort and extreme precision. This is a knife for anyone who values using high-quality tools in the kitchen. The blade will last a lifetime while giving you the best food preparation experiences.
It comes with Dalstrong’s professionally renowned packaging and includes a polymer Dalstrong Perfect Fit Saya (sheath), embossed Dalstrong logo and pin, and a microfiber cloth for polishing.
As Dalstrong promises a satisfaction guarantee and lifetime warranty against manufacturing defects, you have nothing to lose by trying it. In addition, Dalstrong’s customer service is always there to help you if needed.
I just purchased this Shogun 8″ chef knife, and with all the raves about the knife, someone should have made it clear that this is a CHINESE MADE KNIFE! I use Shun, high end, love them all, thought, with the raves about the ‘JAPANESE’ knife, it would certainly be MADE IN JAPAN!
Hey Tarry,
we already mentioned Dalstrong is made in China but its quality is comparable to a Japanese knife. Because they use imported good quality Japanese Materials.
You might miss my review’s CON. I clearly said that. Not only here I put this information in many different articles.
I hope you had a good experience with this knife.
Thanks for sharing your thought by the way!
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